Iwan VanHetten | "Parabbean Tales"

Blue Canoe Records presents the addition of Iwan VanHetten to their Artist roster. Iwan’s latest album ‘Parabbean Tales’ was born from the concept of combining Caribbean-influenced music with contemporary jazz and funk to weave a narrative of his childhood and express the love for his native music. On his latest offering, Iwan brings together a group of Grammy Award winning musicians whom Iwan recorded the album with in L.A. UK based trumpeter, keyboardist, musical director, composer / songwriter and producer Iwan VanHetten has worked with artists including Sister Sledge, Candy Dulfer, Paco Sery, The Pointer Sisters, Anthony Hamilton, Jools Holland, Jimmy Haslip, Will Kennedy, Russell Ferrante, Gary Husband and many more. He is one of a rare breed of musicians  who have stellar capabilities on two or more instruments. 

Highlights of Iwan’s career include fifteen years as musical director / keyboards with Sister Sledge and twenty years as musical director / keyboards / trumpet / songwriter / producer with the Brooklyn Funk Essentials.  With both groups Iwan has toured worldwide, performing at countless prestigious festivals and clubs. Together with Rob Harris and Paul Turner (Jamiroquai), Iwan completes the new trio ‘TRIONIQ’. Iwan is also an active solo artist, writing, recording and producing his own solo albums. Iwan’s production credits include Joni Sledge’s album ‘Tru’. 

Iwan has directed and composed music for numerous theatre shows and is currently the musical director and composer for a series of immersive art installations around Europe. He is a passionate educator and holds a teaching position at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. He divides his time between producing, teaching and live performances around the world.

Iwan holds artist endorsements with Nord Keyboards, Taylor Trumpets and Torpedo bags.

Besides touring and studio work, Iwan is a passionate educator with a strong desire to pass on his knowledge. With twenty-five years of university teaching experience Iwan has held teaching positions at  BIMM,  InHolland Conservatory (Amsterdam) ACM, and currently teaches at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Iwan is available for coaching sessions, workshops, masterclasses and private lessons in person and online. His areas of expertise include bandleadership, musical directing, songwriting, composing, music theory, professional musicianship, improvisation, production and mixing. Iwan’s straightforward, no-nonsense style of teaching has proven to be an effective and rewarding experience for many of his student.

‘Parabbean Tales featuring Will Kennedy - Drums; Russel Ferrante - Keyboards / Piano; Jimmy Haslip - Bass; Melvin Lee Davis - Bass; Lenny Castro - Percussion; Andy Narell - Steel Pans; Bob Mintzer - Saxophone; and Iwan VanHetten - Trumpet, Keyboards.